Making Moolah

I must apologize for not posting anything much lately, I've been too preoccupied with other stuff to come up with a post or two for this thing. I almost posted something yesterday but thought I'd give it some more time, to mull over what I was thinking. Today I am still mulling it over but wanted to at least share what I was thinking.

The New York magazine online had a very interesting article this week about blogs and blogging. In it, it explains not only the phenomena of it, but also how there are folks who actually make money on their blogs through advertising. Being a pastor, there are times I daydream about finding a hobby that can also bring in a few extra bucks every now and then. I know pastors who have extra hobbies, some make things, a couple go to garage sales (to fulfill that inner need to shop) and then fix up what they buy and resell them.

As I have been thinking about how to use a blog to make extra advertising dollars, I have been looking at ways to increase traffic to my blog. One way is to submit articles to reddit.com and digg.com. These are peer sites where you submit any article you want (and many come from personal blogs) and see if it is interesting enough to people to come to your blog. If they like what they see, they might bookmark you and come back.

Another way is to blog about a top 10 search for the day. That can be hit or miss, but if you blog about say, Anna Nicole Smith, then when someone searches on Google or Yahoo for her, they might find your article, go to it, and check it out.

There are downsides to successful blogging. One of them is when a whole lot of whackos leave unsightly, odd, or just down-right mean comments on your blog. Some folks can say the darnedest things without batting an eye, other folks will be talking to themselves as they are typing their angry outbursts at what you say. If you're easily offended or get concerned that your mom will read your posts and comments and be offended herself, you'll need to figure out a way to manage those comments.

Another downside is this: You have to keep doing it. You can't post a few every now and then. You can't do what I've done this week and miss a week's worth of posting because you've been preoccupied with other things. Successful blogging is blogging 4-5 times a day or more. The most successful bloggers begin at 6am in the morning and stop at 7 or 8pm at night (or later!). These are the folks whose only job is blogging. And they are the ones to make the 5-7 figure incomes from advertising on their blogs.

Anyways, what if there is a way to make extra bucks and not work your tail off. Or, maybe there is a happy medium in it. Go to that article at the New York magazine, maybe it'll help spark a creative idea. And, if that happens, come back here and let me know what you've come up with. Remember, karma is good for us.

The Sanctity of Marriage

Beginning on Monday, New Jersey's new law affirming gay and lesbian relationships through civil unions will begin. While gay and lesbian couples will not be allowed to call themselves married, said couples will enjoy the benefits of marriage and the legal protections afforded said union.

While most gay and lesbian folks are applauding this ruling, not everyone is entirely happy about it. While the new law gives gay and lesbian folks access to the benefits and rewards of marriage, there are some who are frustrated that not calling the unions 'marriage' is unfair. These folks contend that the law has set up a separate but equal situation that harkens back to the day when our grandparents and their lawmakers affirmed the laws of segregation and said, "What are black folks so mad about? We let them have their own drinking fountains, their own bathrooms, and their own parts of town. They should be happy we let them co-exist with us--just as long as they remember that it is us who's letting them enjoy these privileges."

The idea of separate but equal might sound good at first, like "they can have what we have" but it's actually more than that. It also implies, "They should be happy with what we've given them as well as what we allow them to have". Of course, the successes of what the gay and lesbian folks have won has only been won in the courts of law--after much fighting. And the idea is even more challenging because it admits that gay folks and our relationships are inferior to the relationships of heterosexual folks. In reality, both gay and straight folks have challenges in their relationships--and neither one is better than the other. For a humorous and interesting logic-based Top 10 list about this, go here to read it.

But I think it's a step in the right direction--although it's not the destination. The destination will be when gay and lesbian folks have equal protections under the law, in every state, in every way. There is a long road ahead of us--still, we can enjoy the benefits of this victory before taking the issue further.

Ummm... okay, it can stop snowing now... I've had enough

Does God read blog posts? I have no idea but I do know that it started snowing and sleeting last night and it's still happening. There must be at least 3 inches of snow (or more) on the ground, but that's not bad. What I don't like is the sleet and cold wind a-blowin'. Brrr...!!

Where's the Snow?

I love snow. I love it so much that, in winter, I expect it. Having been raised in Oklahoma where winter has more ice than snow, I have grown to appreciate the beauty of the cold, white stuff.

I love snow so much that you can imagine my thrill last year, when having just began my pastorate in New Jersey, that we had the worst (or best) blizzard in history. It snowed almost 15 inches in one evening. I woke up and thought I'd died and gone to heaven.

Of course, shoveling the snow is not such a treat- and driving in it is certainly hazardous. Still- when it comes to experiencing beauty and winter, I love seeing a knock down white blanket of snow.

It is supposed to snow like mad today. Actually it was supposed to have already started but it hasn't yet. I have quite a few plans for my evening: a poetry night at church followed by an evening of bowling with NJ's best and most fabulous of bowlers. Driving around will be tough- but it'll be worth it.

I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve, who awakens at 3am in the morning and wonders if Santa has been here yet.

Report: Russian Soldiers Sold As Gay Sex Slaves

This post sems so unbelievable and it's being reported as true. It might BE true, and if it is, all I can think of is, "Holy Shit!"

But honestly, I wonder. Just this week, a new Russian bill is being submitted to their assembly criminalizing homosexuality. If convicted, a person can get up to 5 years in prison.

And just a few months ago, Putin blamed homosexuals (as if there are that many of us to affect a national average) for the decrease in birth rates among Russian peoples.

Given these recent incidents, a report such as this makes me wonder if tactics of fear and shock are being deployed to prep the peoples for the passing of legislation criminalizing homosexuality. It wouldn't be the first time that Russian news is being used for the benefit of its government, to not report the news but to promulgate propaganda.

Either that or my trusted lgbt news at 365 gay news is turning into a gay National Enquirer.

*****

(Moscow) Young Russian conscripts reportedly are being routinely forced by senior officers to work as male prostitutes and turn over the cash to their superiors.

The Gazeta newspaper, quoting some of the soldiers and the human rights group Union of the Committees of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia, reports that the soldiers were from the army base in St. Petersburg.

One client, the paper said, was a former general in the FSB, Russia's intelligence agency.

The rights group tells the paper that clients would arrive at base late at night and the soldiers would be forced by officers to get into the cars. They often would not return until morning.

One of the soldiers told the Gazeta said the officers would use violence and torture to force the men into prostitution.

"The officers would beat us on the arms and legs. We were sent out to the park to earn money ... I was tortured with electric shocks," said one.

The paper said that officers at base passed a client list on to successors and that the practice had been going on for some time.

The soldiers were allegedly paid about $50 for each "trick" with most of the money going back to the officers.

Russia's military has been faced with a crash crunch since the fall of Communism, and soldiers regularly complain they have not been paid. Many in the military have moonlighted to make ends meet.

Last year a 19 year old conscript was so badly beaten and tortured by his superiors that his genitals and legs had to be amputated and in another case a deputy commander in Siberia rented out his troops to local businesses for a commission.

Russian Defense Minister, Sergei Ivanov, considered a potential successor to president Vladimir Putin has promised an investigation.

Here is the link from 365gay.com.

Clear Water

A single boat seemingly floats in midair in the beautiful crystal clear beaches in the Republic of Maldives in the Indian Ocean.

Three Weeks?!

It is now reported that the Rev. Ted Haggard is completely heterosexual after going through a period of intensive counseling for three weeks. Three weeks?

Haggard, who carried on a lengthy 3-year sexual relationship on the DL (that's Down Low, for you non-hipsters) with a Colorado Springs male prostitute while also taking Crystal Meth (a seriously addictive narcotic), now says that after counseling he has the realization that he is heterosexual after all.

The Rev. Tim Ralph reported said that of Haggard, "He is completely heterosexual. That is something he discovered. It was the acting-out situations where things took place."

In some ways, you may mistake what Ralph is saying by thinking what he said means: "He is a virgin. It is only the acting-out situations when he had sex, where things took place. He is still a virgin." Sure, that doesn't make any sense, right? It's even laughable too. But you have to understand the context of the situation to understand what Ralph (and Haggard) are saying. In effect, they are convinced that reparative therapy is legit and say that, in reality, there is no such thing as a sexual orientation, you are only homosexual when you are engaging in an act of homosexuality (except in this instance, but more on that in a minute). So, if you don't have sex with someone (even if you do), when you're not having sex with that person, you're not a homosexual.

Interestingly enough, this is how many evangelical Christians who are also gay and lesbian are able to handle their dual and contradictory lifestyles. When they are not doing the gay thing, they aren't gay. So each situation and sexual activity can be one that is forgiven after each instance thereby allowing for said person to "no longer be gay once s/he's convinced that confession of said sin has occurred.

So Haggard has gone three weeks through a counseling program to end up saying that he is heterosexual and has discovered, that he's always been heterosexual.

There is, of course, something they're not telling us. With similar ex-gay reparative therapy, it is admitted that homosexuality is such a strong pull on those it affects, that to reject it will take a lifetime of realizing that they could slip. It is akin to Alcoholics Anonymous when a former alcoholic says each week at meeting, "Hello, my name is John and I am an alcoholic." Even if John hasn't had a drink in 15 years.

But Haggard isn't saying what the alcoholic John is saying. Instead, in his mind, he's not a homosexual because he isn't having sex with a man.

And, Haggard is saying something else. Even when he was having sex with another man, he wasn't a homosexual then either. "He was only acting out." Hmmm. That is almost as funny as when President Clinton said, "I smoked pot but never inhaled." Or, it's like a teenager who gets drunk, causes mayhem, but instead of taking responsibility, a parent or community leader might say in the teenager's defense, "Cut him some slack, he was only acting out." In Haggard's case, he isn't a teenager, he is responsible for his decisions and actions. Instead of owning up to his mistakes, he is simply in denial and has found a counseling center to say something that supports his ludicrous claim.

I wonder why the media reports say nothing of his 3-year crystal meth addiction? I have friends whose crystal meth addiction have left them incapacitated and financially and emotionally bankrupt. Surely there is something else there too.

In my opinion (and yeah, this will sound harsh), it's all a "story" for our ears with nothing to substantiate his claims. This way, he can go about his life and the various evangelical reparative therapies can go about their lives- as soon as Haggard just moves away and begins a new life.

And yet, it is also kind of sad too. For such a community whose leader has fallen, they have recommended that he exile himself rather than bring him back into the fold to nurture him back to health. It wouldn't bother me so much if Haggard had recommended his own exile; but that's not what they're telling us. They are saying, in effect,"We think it's best for Haggard to leave." And to say something like that almost seems hypocritical to me. Afterall, one's community is tied with one's faith, right? And so, he lost his job and has been asked to leave and begin a new career, and to do it somewhere else than in Colorado Springs without the help and support of the 14,000 member church he founded and nurtured to life. And that is what doesn't sound very Christian to me, even if it's probably the break he needs to get on with his life.

All in all, I think this whole situation has come about and been handled badly by everyone. Instead of supporting him, his church and friends have exiled him. Instead of Haggard admitting to anything, he denied everything until what could be proven, was proven. Three weeks of therapy and no mention of his drug addiction leads me to conclude that if we were to read in the papers tomorrow that he jumped off a bridge and killed himself, it wouldn't surprise me in the least.

In my opinion, he needs serious emotional, psychological and spiritual help. And he hasn't gotten any of it. It has all been one show after another, it seems. Instead of exiting the situation so that evangelical Christianity isn't scarred, he should be getting the addiction help he needs by the very people who love and support him. And that'll take longer than a stay in a 3-week ex-gay rehab center will do.

And he also needs to come out and be honest with everyone, including himself.

Go here to read the news report.

Zoom, Zooooooooooooooooom

This is truly inspirational. It's a 10-minute video and in my opinion, worth every second of it. The video is a demonstration of a Bugatti Veyro, the fastest production car ever made, going over 250 mph at the Volkswagon testing track in Germany.

Yet Another New Diet

As anyone who knows me knows- the thought of gaining weight scares me. Being as tall as I am and understanding the reality that tall men don't have the longest of life spans and knowing that adding to the longevity of one's life bears in mind the need to watch one's weight, I am always concerned about being larger than is healthy.

Living in NYC, it was easier to maintain a healthy weight because you had to walk everywhere. And going up and down subway stairs and getting to and from anywhere, required long walks. Add going to the gym, and a person could easily maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.

Moving to NJ, however, has had a dramatic effect on my active lifestyle. I purchased a truck, because you have to have a car in NJ. With public transportation no where near what it is in NYC, a vehicle is essential to getting around. And, with all the good cookin' from church members, well, let's just say that I have moved from a healthy weight to not as healthy a weight. I am 2 points into the BMI that screams, "You're overweight!" Go here to measure your Body Mass Index.

During the past year that I've lived in NJ, I have gained 15 lbs. Can you imagine that?! I am both shocked and scared. "When will it stop?," I ask myself. So, to help make it stop, I've been attempting a few weight-loss methods.

Here is a good picture to help explain my dilemma.

After taking some crazy weight-loss pills that both scared me and did me no good, I have decided to join Weight Watchers. Yes, me and a room full of older (and larger) women are journeying together towards thinness. A member of my church said she lost 20 lbs. with WW and that has given me encouragement that I too, might have a measure of success and thereby halt my dastardly weight gain.

I'll let you know how it goes- from time to time.

Tit for Tat

A proposed ballot measure in Washington (State) by the Washington Defense of Marriage Alliance would require that marriages that don't produce children within 3 years be annulled. The writers of the measure argue that marriage is for procreation only, right? Well, if that is so, then let's make a law about that.

Actually, the measure is written by supporters of LGBT folks who are tired of hearing the rhetoric that marriage should only be between a man and a woman because only a man and woman can (and should) procreate. They are attempting to gather signatures to be placed on a ballot for voting. They admit that this will never go anywhere and that in attempting to do so, they will have an opportunity to discuss the merits of marriage, regardless of the sexual orientation of the persons getting married. Here is the story from this link.

Proponents of same-sex marriage have introduced a ballot measure that would require heterosexual couples to have a child within three years or have their marriages annulled.

The Washington Defense of Marriage Alliance acknowledged on its Web site that the initiative was "absurd" but hoped the idea prompts "discussion about the many misguided assumptions" underlying a state Supreme Court ruling that upheld a ban on same-sex marriage.

The measure would require couples to prove they can have children to get a marriage license. Couples who do not have children within three years could have their marriages annulled.

All other marriages would be defined as "unrecognized," making those couples ineligible for marriage benefits.

The paperwork for the measure was submitted last month. Supporters must gather at least 224,800 signatures by July 6 to put it on the November ballot.

The group said the proposal was aimed at "social conservatives who have long screamed that marriage exists for the sole purpose of procreation."

Cheryl Haskins, executive director of Allies for Marriage and Children, said opponents of same-sex marriage want only to preserve marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

"Some of those unions produce children and some of them don't," she said.

It's sort of like Christmas decorations...

...they are displayed earlier and earlier every year. This past year, the stores had the Christmas decorations up before Halloween!

And now the political B.S. is beginning 2 years before the Presidential elections. Here is a good example of that B.S.

Click the comic for a larger version, that'll open up in your browser.

Everyone now knows that Obama isn't a cell terrorist, wasn't educated by Muslim extremists, and has had only brief encounters, as an adult, with his natural father (he was raised by his step-dad). It has taken him, all the Democrats in the country and a host of preachers to help clear his name. And yet, people seem to believe anything they hear on Fox News and Rush Limbaugh.

If Fox News were the National Enquirer and Obama was Tom Cruise, Fox News would have already been sued for a bajillion dollars.

You Can't Always Have it Both Ways

In a recent NY Times article, Mary Cheney, the daughter of VP Dick Cheney defends her position, as a lesbian, to not only have a baby but to have it in peace and quiet. Remember, Mary's dad and the Christian Right have often cited gay people and gay families as a challenge to the very foundation of America's traditional family values. Mary has supported her dad and the Republican Party while keeping silent when they went on their rants against LGBT folks.

This is Mary's defense as written in that NY Times article,

“When Heather and I decided to have a baby, I knew it wasn’t going to be the most popular decision,” Ms. Cheney said, referring to her partner of 15 years, Heather Poe. She then gestured to her middle—any bulge disguised by a boxy jacket—and asserted: “This is a baby. This is a blessing from God. It is not a political statement. It is not a prop to be used in a debate, on either side of a political issue. It is my child.”

No one can deny that she is carrying a gift from God: a child. And surely the child is not a political statement. And that child, like any other child, needs and will probably receive, the love that comes with raising a child. And, surely Mary and Heather will be good parents, doting on their boy or girl as any good, financially well-off parents would do. Mary wants what many Americans want (and feel entitled to have). And yet, the very same people that Mary works and stumps for, don't want that to be given to everyone else. Even Mary herself, working with her dad's campaign, has condoned such a mindset: 'I might be entitled to it, but you're not' is the implication from her support of her dad and his politics.

But now Mary is going to be a proud parent and, the time has come, she feels, to be left alone to raise and begin her new family. Dan Savage has written, in response to Mary's article and to her dad's condescension on Wolf Blitzer's news show, Dan writes a scathing piece directed at Mary and her hypocrisy. For whatever reason, Dan explains, Mary doesn't seem to "get it" that she is a part of the LGBT community and the child she will birth, will be rebuked and scandalized as any other LGBT couples and families have been, by her and her dad's political party. And she wants a free ride. She wants her life to be hidden from the public (more entitlement, right?) and to live her life, as if it's not anyone else's business. Interestingly enough, that is the same argument used by other LGBT families--now she's claiming it for herself amidst and to the very party she has so dogmatically supported all these years.

I agree with Dan that Mary can't or shouldn't have it both ways. And, few are or should let her do it, without reminding her that, until she admits to her role in the Republican scapegoating of LGBT folks, she is as much to blame as they are. Because of her silence during the Presidential race, many LGBT folks maintain a kind of, 'Who the heck does she think she is' mentality.

Whether or not you are as angry as Dan is or if you're somewhere between accepting alternate families and wanting to accept them with reservations, you must admit that Mary sure has a lot of balls, right? I mean, seriously, can the daughter of one of the most powerful (or as some would contend, THE most powerful) men be allowed to do in private that which others have been fighting for in the open square?

Again, Mary can't have it both ways. Even if she wants too- few are going to let her do it. Even Jon Stewart can't stomach the hypocrisy. And he points that out in a very funny and matter-of-fact way.

Universal Discrimination

Admittedly, I haven't posted much of anything substantive of late, I've been mired down with my own sh*t (as a line in the musical Rent goes) and haven't felt the needed inspiration to be, well... inspirational. I'll write more about that later.

I found an article that I want to share with you now. As anyone who is gay or lesbian can attest, one of the loudest counter-arguments we hear is the disdain and frustration some white and some black folk have when anyone in the LGBT community dares to associate their discrimination with that of the experience of the African-American/African community.

You may have heard or read where I have equated the two communities. And I have. I have done it to remind us that discrimination has been experienced by many people in many generations. Just when you think we've "moved beyond that", a simple example or correlation demonstrating that it's happening again is, often times, very appropriate.

To give you an example, several years ago I was manning a LGBT information table at a UCC State Conference in New York. That was the year the UCC Coalition for LGBT Concerns, NY Metro Chapter (in which I was the founding president, ..ahem..) had proposed to the Metro Association to declare itself Open and Affirming, a statement that would let everyone know that in the Metro Association, no one would be condemned for their sexual orientation, whether in politics, in the ordination process, or other arrangements. As you might imagine, such a resolution was a big deal and their was much discussion. The proposed resolution eventually passed. But before the resolution passed, there was some mighty tense moments in conversation.

Anyways, back to the table I was manning. I was approached by an African American pastor who verbally confronted me and dared to ask, who the (heck) did I think I was!? and, "Can you dare to even slightly suggest that the plight of the African American can even be slightly compared to you gays?!" And I said, "Well, yeah, actually it can and does." I should have thought of more witty things to say... but those witty things didn't come to my mind until 15 minutes after the man walked away. Grrr...!! I hate it when that happens.

The thing is, in many States, you can be fired from your job, based solely on the realization or information that you're gay. You can be kicked out of your apartment, if the landlord finds out. In the state I am from (Oklahoma), those laws weren't even challenged until the one is Texas was struck down when the police broke into an apartment of two lovers to discover them sleeping together (and they were subsequently arrested for it). Fortunately, those two particular gay men had balls and, with the ACLU, challenged Texas' sodomy laws and won! (If you are unfamiliar with that story, go here.)

But here's my point: We really can compare the two--even if slavery was (and is) a more hideous crime. Stealing people from their lands and making them slaves for two hundred years is immoral, sinful, and evil. And the continued racism that exists today (because of that old slavery) is immoral, sinful, and evil. And discrimination that exists today, whether based on gender, disability, economic situation, or sexual orientation is immoral, sinful, and evil. No one person has the sole monopoly on discrimination and no one people are entitled to confront the systems of injustice. In fact, as Christians we are all entitled and empowered to do so, regardless of ones race, gender, religion, economic situation, or sexual orientation. As Jesus went about dismantling the systems of discrimination (remember the non-Jewish women he associated with?) and calling to the minds of everyone that in God's eyes, we're all equal. The Apostle Paul even reminded his readers that neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, we're all equal in God's eyes. Sure, Paul didn't get the whole gay thing- but he did lay the foundation that in God's eyes, we don't judge each other by the color of one's skin but by the content of one's character. Whether such a view is expressed by Paul or Dr. King, there are some truths that are eternal and thereby God-centered. Emancipation and anti-discrimination are other such eternal and universal truths.

And I am not the only one to think so. So did Coretta Scott King, the late wife of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. And according to her, both she and Dr. King were just as adamant in the 1960s (and later after Dr. King was assassinated) that LGBT persons not be disparaged as African-Americans were and are. Standing with such icons of human equality, we can all learn the lessons that discrimination isn't just a color issue, it's a universal one.

And the Date Is: July 21

JK Rowling has announced the publishing date of the final installment of the Harry Potter series titled, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Sales of the final book will range from $19 - $65.00, depending on whether you want the plain hardback or the fancy-smancy deluxe addition.

And, here is the fun part. The book will be released at midnight on July 21. I actually stood in line for the last installment when I lived in NYC. It was soooooooo insane. There must've been thousands and thousands of people in line, in the store and outside, wrapped around the building that was over a block long. Actually it was also kind of fun. Kids and adults were in costume, the media was there interviewing folks making the evening very festive.

You can read the news article about this by going here.

Cool Math

This works every time, except with zeros; there must be a different rule with that. Still, this shows how patterns can teach us a lot about math- and even open our eyes to doing something different, if it is just as effective as another way.

Kids: Black is Bad, White is Good

Here is a video documentary from a young woman who addresses the continued racism that exists here in America. What makes this documentary so poignant, is that she uses a similar test performed when Brown vs. Board of Education was arguing against segregation. In the best, black children were shown two dolls, one black and one white, and then asked, "Which one do you like?" and "Which doll is the good doll?," or, "Which doll is the bad doll?"

The results from this modern-day test may stun you.



Go here to see a news report about the documentary and the ignited conversation about racism and how it affects the children raised around it.

Humor that Might be Offensive...

...I thought this was hilarious. Thank you James C. for emailing it to me.

Operating System Woes

Did you know that if an electrician, who comes to your church building to rewire all the electric outlets and power boards were to test the master on/off switch by turning it on, then off, then on, then off... and so forth... if the electrician did it without telling you and you watched your computer suddenly power down, then up, then down, then up... then that very act can damage one's operating system?

Well, this happened to me this week. I called technician after technician who promised that saving my data would be costly. Since I wasn't able to sign on my system with the damaged operating system not even letting me last this crazy screen telling me, "Sorry for the inconvenience, but your operating system has failed." And so... there I sat wondering if I select the PCrecovery button, what would happen.

I had hoped that perhaps I'd save some of my data.

Or some files somewhere.

And so, not wanting to pay the Geek Squad or the HP tech support folks an insane amount of money, I selected the PCrecovery button.

I guess I can now sympathize with those who've lost everything in a house fire. But to make that comparison would be unfair. I didn't lose any furniture or family photos. I only lost everything I did over the past year. I lost bulletins, sermons, special services, funerals, weddings, written correspondances, faxes, emails, contacts, email addresses, web links, cool nifty free programs that I'll never find again, pictures, pictures, and more pictures.

I lost everything.

Oh, but you say, "What about your backup drive? You did have one of those, right?" Well, the funny thing is that while I had backed everything up on my special HP personal media drive, I somehow backed everything up wrongly. I had saved four empty folders.

Grrr.....!!

This is but one of the crazy January happenings that has happened to me. There are other ones. One in particular I am saving for a special rant as soon as I inform everyone involved exactly what happened. I'd hate for the church folks to read about it on my blog before I told them face to face.

But I do have good news. My bowling slump is over. Finally! I bowled well last night and it was enough to recharge my soul. Funny how bowling can recharge one's soul. It's kind of like golf. Golf can recharge the soul (when you play well).

Repression at its Worst

Nigeria is voting on the most harshest form of anti-gay legislation ever. The bill has advanced to the final hurdle, Nigeria's Parliament, and is expected to pass. The bill will make it illegal for more than 2 gay people to be even in the same establishment at the same time. The penalty is 5 years of hard labor in prison.

You can go here to read the whole story.

And what do they think this will accomplish? Perhaps God will spare them from famine and hell. The hell and spiritual famine they are about to impose on its citizens will be the very thing they are hoping to avoid from God. Such can be a Christian mindset--let's mete out punishment of our own to avoid punishment from God. It's almost like the justification for having a death penalty: if we kill the killers, perhaps other killers will stop killing. And as we all know, that doesn't happen--killers continue killing. And gay folks will continue being gay folks.

In a weird way, the likes of evangelical conservatives and biblical literalists aren't so far from Nigeria and the Anglican Church there. If Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell could have their way, these same laws could be made here in the U.S.A. And don't be surprised if someone isn't already thinking of a way to do just that.

Kinda Creepy, Right?

And this ad comes from the British Government too! I wonder what our government advertisement will look like?

Truer Words

When Procrastination Leads to Frustration

AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH! AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!THE SERMON ISN'T DONE; I CAN'T CONCENTRATE; THE SERMON ISN'T DONE; MY MIND IS SCATTERING; THE SERMON ISN'T DONE AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!! AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!! AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!AGGHHHH!!

Hypnotize Yourself with THIS

The Gimli Glider

This has got to be one of the most incredible and entertaining real-life stories I've read in ages. It is written in a way that puts the reader at ease while storytelling a fantastic and miraculous landing of a Boeing 767 that ran out of fuel 41,000 feet up in the air.

The cool-headed bravery of the pilots saved everyone on board.

I'd think this would make for a fantastic made-for-tv movie.

Go here to read the story.

Interesting Study

It is being considered an interesting association, psychologists are linking those with sleep problems and nightmares to suicide. Sure, it can be tough getting inside the head of a person with suicidal tendencies. Why are some people able to bear life's trama while others cannot? This study provides an interesting insight.

Go here to read the news report.

New Abuse of Power

This story should continue to scare the bejesus out of us. Just think of the civil liberties we have already lost in the name of counter-terrorism. Add now the new law that enables the President and our government to open our mail without a warrant.

*****

WASHINGTON - President Bush has quietly claimed sweeping new powers to open Americans' mail without a judge's warrant, the New York Daily News has learned.

The president asserted his new authority when he signed a postal reform bill into law on Dec. 20. Bush then issued a "signing statement" that declared his right to open people's mail under emergency conditions.

That claim is contrary to existing law and contradicted the bill he had just signed, say experts who have reviewed it.

Bush's move came during the winter congressional recess and a year after his secret domestic electronic eavesdropping program was first revealed. It caught Capitol Hill by surprise.

"Despite the president's statement that he may be able to circumvent a basic privacy protection, the new postal law continues to prohibit the government from snooping into people's mail without a warrant," said Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., the incoming House Government Reform Committee chairman, who co-sponsored the bill.

Experts said the new powers could be easily abused and used to vacuum up large amounts of mail.

"The (Bush) signing statement claims authority to open domestic mail without a warrant, and that would be new and quite alarming," said Kate Martin, director of the Center for National Security Studies in Washington.

"The danger is they're reading Americans' mail," she said.

"You have to be concerned," agreed a career senior U.S. official who reviewed the legal underpinnings of Bush's claim. "It takes Executive Branch authority beyond anything we've ever known."

Read the whole story here.

Me on Video

A special thanks to my friend Matt who found this Google video with me in it. I participated in an interview at the Lesbian and Gay Center of New York over a year ago regarding the Center's Out and Faithful program combining issues of queer identity and religious/spiritual faith journeys.

You can see me within the first 6 minutes of the video.

A NYC Hero

A construction worker had to make a split decision while waiting for a subway train, while standing with his two young daughters. A young man falls onto the subway tracks having a seizure and an oncoming subway train is fast approaching. Death is imminent for the young man. The construction worker who is also a Navy veteran made and followed through with his decision. He jumped down on the subway track on top of the man, pinning him to the ground and holding him there as the subway train rolled on top of them.

Neither were hurt.

Simply amazing. Go here to read the whole story.

Back from Vacation

I have been away in Oklahoma for my Christmas vacation. I actually thought about posting something to that effect but once I got home, I forgot that I, 1) had a job, 2) had 2 blogs, 3) lived in NJ, or 4) had any other responsibilities. I had such a wonderful time resting, visiting with my family, and enjoying Christmas.

One unique thing happened while on vacation: I had the opportunity to get reacquainted with a high school friend. We met at Chili's for a time of talking, eating, and realizing that growing older is cool as long as you have friends (both old and new) to share it with.

I had actually meant to spend time with several high school friends but I had acquired a nasty sinus infection and spent the remaining days of my vacation at home with a huge headache. Still, I had a nice time and I became even closer friends with my buddies Advil and Tylenol.

Now that I am back in NJ, I went to a clinic to get a prescription to buy the antibiotics to treat the sinus infection. Thinking about all the hoops one has to jump through (and pay others) irritates me to no end. However, I am off this morning to my pharmacist to get the medicine I need. Hopefully I'll feel better by week's end.

This morning I also have to get back to work.

And, I need to start posting things again on my blogs.

Technology to Serve Up Virtual Family Dinners

...for Elderly Who Cannot Travel to Be With Family

CHICAGO (AP) -- Harvey Bumpus doesn't like to eat alone.

But his wife died more than a year ago and his family is scattered across the country. Most nights, he heats up a simple meal of oatmeal or hot dogs and eats alone.

"I don't have much choice," said the 82-year-old retired correctional officer who looks forward to Christmas as one of the few days each year when he gathers with his family.

But when the planes, trains and automobiles that brought everyone together take his family away -- he, like millions of other elderly people, will be alone again.

Now, the technology consulting company Accenture is developing a system called "The Virtual Family Dinner" that would allow families to get together -- virtually -- as often as they'd like.

The concept is simple. An elderly woman in, say, California, makes herself dinner. When she gets ready to sit down and eat, the system detects it and alerts her son in Chicago. The son then goes to his kitchen, where a small camera and microphone capture what he is doing. Speakers and a screen -- as big as a television or as small as a picture frame -- allow him to hear and see his mother, who has a similar setup.

"We are trying to really bring back the kind of family interactions we used to take for granted," said Dadong Wan, a senior researcher in Accenture Ltd.'s Chicago labs.

Experts say such interactions could address a growing problem: elderly people who eat alone often don't eat enough or eat the wrong kinds of food. It can trigger a host of physical and mental problems that eventually can become life-threatening.

"To physically eat with others, to be able to do that, there are not only social benefits, but health benefits," said Dr. Julie Locher, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, who specializes in eating issues among older people.

Locher, who suspects virtual meals could forestall hospitalization or placement in nursing homes, was so intrigued with Accenture's project she plans to study it.

When a prototype becomes available, possibly in about two years, it likely will cost $500 to $1,000 per household, Wan said.

Senior Accenture manager Peter Glaser said he hopes insurance companies and government agencies help pay for the system, much as they do for home health care workers, once they see its benefits.

But it must be easy to operate to attract people like Bumpus, who doesn't own a computer and may be intimidated by technology, Glaser said. Although video conferencing with a PC and webcam is widely used today, it requires technical know-how.

In Accenture's lab, projectors are mounted on the ceilings of two mock kitchens -- Wan is in one and Glaser is down the hall in the other. In each, activities taking place in the other room are projected onto a large window, allowing the men to watch each other; microphones allow them to carry on a conversation.

In homes, cameras and microphones could be placed on top of a counter or TV set or built into "smart picture frames that capture what is going on in one kitchen and display it in the other," Wan said. The screens can show just the person or the entire room, depending how the cameras are set up.

The system could incorporate computers, television sets and broadband already in many homes, so customers could have the system installed much the same as they do cable television, Glaser said.

Wan said the Virtual Family Dinner goes further than today's video conferencing.

For example, when an elderly person puts a meal on the table, the system's software automatically finds family members who are similarly wired and determines who might be available.

That could be done in any number of ways, including determining whether a networked family member is watching television. It could then send a message that would be displayed on the TV.

"It might tell you 'Mom is on channel 456,'" said Glaser. The relative could then click to that channel.

Other companies are conducting research into remote monitoring of the elderly, but no one is focusing on daily casual dining, Glaser said.

Such a window into the lives of elderly loved ones is an exciting prospect for Dr. Cai Glushak, a Chicago physician who is the caregiver for his parents in New York. Glushak is medical director for AXA Assistance, which has a program in which elderly patients are monitored by the company. What makes Accenture's work so compelling, he said, is that it extends to him as a son the same kind of access that AXA's program allows medical professionals.

"I feel very limited by only being able to talk on the phone most of the time," said Glushak, one of an estimated 34 million Americans caring for a person age 50 or older.

"To get a look at them would give you a whole new understanding of what is going on," he said, noting it would be helpful to know everything from how thin they look to whether they're combing their hair or wearing clean clothes.

"You could also see their surroundings, (whether) they're ordered or disheveled," he said.

But some people, like Lucia West-Jones, executive director of the Northeastern Illinois Area Agency on Aging, wonder whether the ability to gather such information would raise privacy concerns among the elderly.

Some seniors might steer clear of anything that allows others to gather information that could be used to take away independence.

"This would really have to be a tool older people felt complete control over and when they turn it off, it is off," West-Jones said.

Arthur Baker, a 62-year-old disabled veteran who lives in Chicago, had the same thought.

"If it's like Big Brother or something, that's always going to be a concern," he said.

Still, Baker said he'd welcome anything that would help him connect to his son and five grandchildren in Atlanta, whom he rarely sees.

So would Bumpus.

"To reach out and almost touch each other, that sounds really good to me," he said.

Rufus is the Man....

Rufus Wainwright performed this past week at Carnegie Hall for a Christmas performance with his family in their annual concert. Listen to him sing, "O Holy Night" in French.

95% of Americans have had ...

... premarital sex. According to a study just released, 38,000 men and women were interviewed from 1982, 1988, 1995, and 2002. Commenting on the study, researchers explain that even in past generations, men and women were having sex before marriage. The study's author, Lawrence Finer said,

"The data clearly show that the majority of older teens and adults have already had sex before marriage, which calls into question the federal government's funding of abstinence-only until-marriage programs for 12- to 29-year-olds."

Under the Bush administration, such programs have received hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding. "It would be more effective," Finer said, "to provide young people with the skills and information they need to be safe once they become sexually active -- which nearly everyone eventually will."

*******

You've read my rants about the ineffectiveness of abstinence-only education and funding especially as this relates to HIV/AIDS awareness. If kids are going to have sex, and we can certainly encourage them not to, if they are going to do it anyway, we need to pull our heads out of the sand and stop pretending that abstinence-only education is the only appropriate model to combat the spread of HIV and other STDs.

And now we know that even heterosexuals are having as much sex as they think gay people are having. Let's stop pretending already, offer two viable solutions, and hopefully such a measure will slow the spread of HIV before it kills off half the planet's population. To do otherwise (esp given the recent statistics that show people don't a) adhere to any faith-based abstinence program, b) adhere to non faith-based abstinence programs, or c) continue to have lots and lots and lots of premarital sex) is more than irresponsible, it borders on manslaughter.

Go here to read about the study.

Christmas Eve On A Sunday

For preachers everywhere, we have a unique opportunity this year. Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday. This means that we will have both a morning service and an evening candle light service. If you're from a faith tradition that normally has Sunday services in the morning and evening, then this day is a bit different (you may have one LESS service during Christmas week).

As we are all preparing our lessons for the morning service that is also Christmas Eve, I found a great resource over on the History Channel's website. If you need Christmas history fodder, go here. You will find histories, time lines, and even videos.

New Life on a Witch Hunt

The church Ted Haggard used to pastor has asked its members to "blow the whistle" on others who have been guilty of sexual indiscretions and other misdeeds. Asking such a thing makes one wonder exactly which sins will outweigh the other ones.

I wonder if they'll go after the gossipers? Or those who lie on their income taxes? Or those who tell "white lies" to make others feel better?

Such a pursuit makes me think of the conversation Jesus had with the religious leaders who were about to stone a woman caught in adultery when Jesus said to them, "Let him who is without sin, cast the first stone." Everyone put down their rocks and walked away.

You'd think a church like New Life would know better. It is unfortunate that they do not.

Oh the mess they are going to create for themselves all in the name of purity and righteousness. You see, everyone who names someone will be thinking that their sins are not anywhere near as bad as the one they are ratting out. It's like what George Carlin says, "Everyone who goes faster than you do on the highway is crazy; and anyone who goes slower than you is an idiot."

The subjectivity of sin: now THERE is something to really preach about.

Go here to read the story.

$1.65 Billion?!?!

Google has acquired youtube.com for $1.65 Billion in stocks. That is an insane amount of money for a website that looks like the grandson of America's Funniest Home Videos. Sure, I love youtube.com and love checking out episodes of The Venture Brothers with Brock Samson.

But that is a whooooooooooooooooooooole lot of money, right? I mean, is the Dot Com era beginning again?

On a side note, reddit.com is offline. Some folks are thinking that since they were purchased by CondeNast last month, there downtime might be on purpose. These same folks are even thinking that digg.com needs to start getting nervous.

I wonder if Sen. John McCain has anything to do with this? (Okay, so I am just being sacrastic and semi-witty)

The Most Dangerous Toys of All Time

This blog post is funny- although a little scary too. It is actually rather shocking the kinds of "toys" we've unleashed on children-- some of them are so dangerous, one has to wonder "What the heck were we/they thinking?!"

Here is the introduction to the post:

Last month, Target recalled 10 of its Kool Toyz-brand play sets, citing hazards like "lead paint," "sharp points," and "puncture wound potential." The toys, which included plastic aircraft carriers, dinosaurs, and tanks, all appeared harmless enough. But according to the killjoys at the Consumer Product Safety Commission, children—at least those prone to eating plastic objects as big as their head—were at serious risk. A week later, Mattel recalled 4.4 million Polly Pocket dolls and accessories because kids were swallowing the toy's magnets. The Associated Press reported, "If more than one magnet is swallowed, they can attach to each other and cause intestinal perforation, infection or blockage." Three children required surgery.

In the last year alone, some eight million units of toys were recalled in the U.S., according to W.A.T.C.H., a toy-safety advocacy group. But Kool Toys and Polly Pockets are kids' stuff compared to the hazardous baubles of yesteryear. In the spirit of the holidays, Radar presents the most dangerous toys of all time, those treasured playthings that drew blood, chewed digits, took out eyes, and, in one case, actually irradiated. To keep things interesting, we excluded BB guns, slingshots, throwing stars, and anything else actually intended to inflict harm. Below, our toy box from hell.

1. Lawn Darts

Removable parts? Suffocation risk? Lead paint? Pussy hazards compared to the granddaddy of them all. Lawn Darts, or "Jarts," as they were marketed, would never fly in our current ultra-paranoid, safety-helmeted, Dr. Phil toy culture. Lawn darts were massive weighted spears. You threw them. They stuck where they landed. If they happened to land in your skull, well, then you should have moved. During their brief (and generally awesome) reign in 1980s suburbia, Jarts racked up 6,700 injuries and four deaths.

Read the rest of the list here.

Using Fear to Court Votes

I just read a post that Sen. John McCain is introducing legislation to control blogs and the commentors on each site. Saying that comments to some blogs may cause children to be victimized (although offering no proof that has ever happened), he is using fear to justify censorship.

You know, ever since I read in the news that McCain was courting the Religious Right through Jerry Falwell, I've lost some respect for the man. Especially when there was a time when McCain had 'no time' for them and called people like Falwell 'agents of intolerance'. But now that he's considered a presidential contender, he goes and kisses up to hardliners to earn their endorsement and hopefully the votes of their constituents.

How does limiting blogs continue my dislike for the man? By simply using the same techniques those on the Religious Right use to justify their intolerance--by employing the strategy of scapegoating. Blame the blogs and the hearer immediately thinks of myspace.com or some internet porn site and suddenly everyone without a brain can say, "Yeah, if we get rid of blogs, we'll get rid of evil."

And yet, blogs have become quite something else entirely in the world of journalism, free speech, and accountability. Get rid of or limit their influence, and you can go back to the same control of information that existed before the blogging revolution. With all the major networks owned by a few big corporations or persons, I'll bet they may be lining McCain's pocket with campaign funds in order to push legislation like this through. Perhaps this is why he's been spending so much time reaching out to such big business.

Go here to read the post. There are links at the site that'll let you read further into the legislation.

You might be a redneck if...

...you'd wear this shirt.

Simply Amazing!

I have discovered a dictionary entry on Wikipedia chronicling the Back to the Future movies' confusing timelines. In the post, it'll explain everything and how they relate to one another. You'll see graphs, read interesting A+B=C's and then, follow the timeline as if it were a story board back through the movies.

Be wary, it's a long read and it's an interesting one!

Blaming Soy

Just when you thought someone couldn't say something any crazier, along comes a post that'll do just that. According to WorldNetDaily, it has now been determined that soy and soy-related foods turn people into homosexuals. And given the rise in soy-related products given to babies, the author explains,

"Soy is feminizing, and commonly leads to a decrease in the size of the penis, sexual confusion and homosexuality. That's why most of the medical (not socio-spiritual) blame for today's rise in homosexuality must fall upon the rise in soy formula and other soy products. (Most babies are bottle-fed during some part of their infancy, and one-fourth of them are getting soy milk!) Homosexuals often argue that their homosexuality is inborn because "I can't remember a time when I wasn't homosexual." No, homosexuality is always deviant. But now many of them can truthfully say that they can't remember a time when excess estrogen wasn't influencing them."

I usually worry when someone uses the word 'research shows' without actually showing where the research is coming from. By not explaining where the research is from (and thereby opening it up to scrutiny) I am tempted to think this post is homophobia guised in "psychobabble" meant to scare people with the notion, "You might be responsible for turning your son or daughter gay."

I suppose stories like this are popular enough to get 'hit to your site' but they sure do make a lot of us gay folk feel like we're being targeted as the symptom of all the world's problems.

You can read the whole story here.

Light to Unite

Go here to help raise money for the fight against AIDS. Bristol-Myers is donating one dollar for every click. You simply click your mouse on the match that lights the candle. It's a great way to help researchers and agencies devoted to eradicating AIDS.

Very Interesting Podcast

In my previous post, I mentioned to you about a very unknown evangelical pastor, Rev. Paul Barnes, who was outed and had to resign his pastorate when his homosexuality became known.

In following some links about this situation, I came across a podcast in which he addresses Ted Haggard's situation last month, before his own sexual orientation was revealed. And what he says, is a very kind and honest thing as well as very foretelling of his own situation.

My heart goes out to this guy.

While everything he says isn't 100% spot on, it is, in the very least, extremely gracious. And you can hear him pouring out his heart. Go here to listen to this. You'll be glad you did.

[Update: It seems the podcast has been removed from his website; so you cannot listen to it anymore. But you can go here to a story by the Denver Post who did hear it and wrote an article about it.]

Another Colorado Minister Resigns

Another pastor of a megachurch in Colorado just resigned his position as senior pastor following an outing from an anonymous source.

I am copying and pasting this posting from 365gay.com.

(Denver, Colorado) The senior pastor of a second Colorado megachurch has resigned following a phone call to the church outing him.

The Rev. Paul Barnes of Grace Chapel in South Denver announced in a video taped message to his congregation Sunday that he was stepping down.

"I have struggled with homosexuality since I was a 5-year-old boy," Barnes said in the video according to the Denver Post which was allowed to view the tape.

".. I can't tell you the number of nights I have cried myself to sleep, begging God to take this away."

In the video Barnes is seen sitting with his wife.

The church's associate pastor, Dave Palmer, told the Post that the church got an anonymous call last week from a person who said he had overheard a conversation in which someone mentioned "blowing the whistle" on evangelical preachers engaged in homosexuality, including Barnes.

Barnes founded Grace Chapel in his basement 28 years ago and saw it grow to be one of the biggest churches in the state.

His resignation comes a month after Colorado Springs pastor Ted Haggard was outed by a former male prostitute. (story)

Barnes preached that homosexuality is a sin, but unlike Haggard neither he nor his church took a stand on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage that was approved by voters last month.

In the video Barnes said he became a Christian at age 17 and felt it would help him give up homosexuality, but the feelings never went away, he said.

Still, he said he cannot accept that a person is "born that way," adding that he believes sexuality is influenced by childhood experiences.

Barnes said in the video that he has been in counseling three times but never found anyone he could talk to.

His wife also appeared in the half-hour video the Post reported, saying that she didn't know about her husband's struggles until he confided in her last week. The couple has two daughters in their 20s.

********

You can also read a more detailed account of this story by going here, to an article published by the Denver Post.

Harry for the Holidays

I love Harry Connick, Jr. He is both funny (remember him of Will and Grace?) as well as a fun big band jazz singer. This year he has released an update to his 2003 cd Harry for the Holidays, a compilation of Christmas tunes sung with his jazzy interpretation. In this re-release, he has included a DVD with his cd.

I am listening to it now as I putter at work. It is one fun musical collection. If you would like to add a cd of fun Christmas music, let me recommend this to you. If you like jazz, you'll love it!

Now this is just plain stupid

Here is the title of the news article: "Four-year-old suspended for hugging teacher's aid"

Go here to be both amazed and ticked off at what some people will do just to make a point.

A 32 Inch LCD TV for $499?!

I tell you, sometimes a price comes along for a tv that just makes you shake. This LCD tv is just such a thing. I was in BestBuy the other day and found that their 32" LCDs start around $1200!

You know, sometimes you have to be careful with some of the online deals. Many that I have seen, when the LCD tv is so cheap is because they don't come with a tuner or their response time is soooo slow. And yet, this one seems to have it all.

Surely this deal is too good to be true. But have a looksee, maybe its a real deal.

Snowmen

Someone actually did in real life what those Calvin and Hobbes did in the comic strip. Pretty funny, right? I found these pics here.

Smart Fish?

I remember as a kid always thinking that of all the animals or fish in the world, fish had to be the dumbest. I don't know if I thought this because it helped me justify my family's extensive fishing, catching, and ultimately eating or if I was pondering something significant.

As I grew older, I found myself thinking that since God put humans on the earth to eat the animals and fish--they mustn't be too bright or smart. Afterall, they are people food.

But as I've grown older, I find myself at odds with the thinking of my youth as I discover that animals and fish often surprise me in their brilliance. And, when a new discovery comes along such as the apes who use various tools or this story about different species of fish hunting together, the thought confronts my personal theology in a way that makes me rethink human domination. I mean, when I read about those fish that were caught of the Korean waters that looked like human faces, I found myself saying, "Dang, this is freaky!" What I find myself thinking more and more, is that we humans may not be here to just eat whatever we want, but rather it might be something more. And as a Christian, that something more seems to confront traditional thinking about the role of humans on this earth.

As a Christian, I also end up wondering about the sacredness of all life. Does this mean I should become a vegetarian? I dunno. I think on these things and find myself asking whether or not I am being responsible when it comes to dining on the creatures of the earth. If all life is sacred, then does eating that life affect its and my own sacredness? The native Americans honored the lives of the buffalo and other animals when they ate them or used their skins for clothing or shelter. If I am going to honor life, should I be more like the native Americans? Or, does it matter at all?

A while back I watched a YouTube video about a preacher explaining that all animals do not have souls--only humans do. Such a thinking then would surely justify our abuse of the animals we raise and consume. Afterall, if they did have a soul, would we be guilty of murder? Or, at least, in dishonoring the sacredness of the relationship of animal to human?

I don't have an answer--but at least writing about it, I feel less like a hypocrite. I mean, tonight I ate a casserole of shrimp and wild rice. Still, pondering my relationship with the wild is something I've put off for too long. I think I will start by spending some time learning how people of various tribes and nations have interpreted life and its holiness.

A Catchy Tune

My friend caught in the middle has a new feature on his blog called Evoca. The feature allows you to make podcasts over the phone that then get sent electronically and can be attached to blogs and whatnot for others to hear.

I am testing this feature on this blog to see how it works and looks. My test is a catchy tune from an old childhood song.

Please, no comments on my singing. While I enjoy myself, I have discovered many folks quietly ask me to blend in with others. And we all know what THAT means, right? Either I am too loud, too bad, or a little bit of both.

Animator vs. Animation

This is simply hilarious!

Adding Color to the early Century

Daily Kos has a wonderful post composed of color pictures in scenes we generally remember as black and white. Adding the color changes the images a bit and helps a person think that while some things have changed dramatically, many people have remained the same.

It is a wonderful walk of nostalgia for a time before our own. Have a looksee.

A Can of Silly String?

Remember this gooey stuff that you'd spray while imitating that it's coming out of your nose? I do and had a lot of laughs with it. Today, however, it is being used by soldiers in Iraq to help detect explosive trip wires. Soldiers spray them into a house as they go door to door sweeping neighborhoods. If the stuff falls to the ground, their are no trip wires. If it lands on something, it's too light to trip the wires and lets the soldiers know the place is booby-trapped.

A mother of a soldier is collecting cans of the stuff to send to other soldiers.

You can go read the whole story here.

10 Verses Never Preached On

I found this over at churchhopping.com. It is a list of verses that you probably haven't ever read either. It sure makes for an interesting conversation. What is also almost as good a read are the replies to this post. Some of the posters are atheists and others are disgruntled Christians (and probably young) both men and women.

I am thinking that their responses to these verses isn't so far out of whack--esp since those who adamantly proclaim the Bible as truth in every word and detail rather than a book of how men and women have interpreted their faith and tradition. The former needs answers to these odd verses, the latter understands that people do crazy things in the name of God and not all of it is good (or even godly).

Have a looksee and see how you might answer a 12th grader who is looking to you to explain the texts.

Communicating with the Un-raptured

I think this site may be satire because it's so funny. It might be sacrilegious depending on whether you believe in the rapture or not. In the event you believe in the rapture, there is a service that'll deliver messages to those "left behind" because those who operate the site are Atheists.

That's kind of funny, right?

Go here to see the site.

An Easy Way to Save a Lot of Money

I live in a church parsonage which affords me two things: I don't have to pay rent or electric/heating bills. Still, I am careful how I use my electricity and am careful to keep the thermostat set at a reasonable temperature (as opposed to actually staying warm or cool). Still, I am comfortable and I think that's just groovy.

I ran across this article about easy ways average consumers can save a bundle off their electric bills. And, one of the ways is so easy that its scary. Simply replace your average light bulbs with compact fluorescents. These bulbs fit into standard light sockets but look a little funny. (See picture at left.) Ikea sells the bulbs, 3 to a pack and costs a little over $2. Each bulb is supposed to last 10,000 hours (compared to 1-2,000 hours for regular bulbs). And, installing a surge protector to stop energy leaks even when your appliances/computers are turned off is another help. Finally, caulking your home helps dramatically reduce the heat/cooling needed for any one house.

Go here to read the entire article. It is actually rather surprising.

Funny Satire

Gizmodo has a post about a new coffee table book for all those who end up spending more time than they like flying anywhere and get stuck reading the material provided by the airline. Sure, you read the instructions of what to do in an emergency but then, what's left? On many aircraft, you'll find a SkyMall catalogue filled with fancy gadgets and garden gnomes.

Amazon is featuring a book called SkyMaul that is a fake catalogue filled with hilarious looking gadgets and funny stuff.

[Update: Thanks to Jesse Thorn who sent me this link, you can go here to see more about the catalogue and watch some funny videos about it.]

Confronting Poison

An awful incidence occurred during rush hour on the Toronto subways. A reader tells of the gruesome event as well as responding to an irked subway rider complained about being late after a man committed suicide by jumping under a subway car. You can read about this event and how one man's lack of holiday cheer is so unChristmasy here.